How to Invest in Gold for Beginners


by Grant HEnson

*The owners of this website may be paid to recommend some precious metals companies. The content on this website, including any positive reviews of these companies and other reviews, may not be neutral or independent.

Are you planning to make your first gold investment but not sure how? Beyond the basic physical investment options, gold investment comes in various forms, including IRAs, stocks in mining companies, mutual funds, and physical-backed ETFs.

Hence, it’s important to be familiar with the different options and key investment considerations to make the most of this valuable asset.

To help you with that, this article will discuss all things related to gold investment for beginners. So, without any delay, let’s dive in!

Understanding the Basics of Gold Investment

For millennia, gold has been regarded as a wise investment. In fact, when the Bretton Woods system ended in 1971, gold as an investment became extremely popular.

That said, the price of gold has continuously risen since the 1970s. From being priced at $35 per ounce in 1970 to approximately $2,000 per ounce by August 2011, gold's value has seen tremendous growth over the decades.

This historical growth demonstrates that gold is a dependable investment option that can preserve the worth of your capital for decades.

Benefits of Investing in Gold 

With gold being an all-time popular investment option, holding this yellow metal brings various benefits. These include:

  • Hedge Against Inflation: While inflation affects the currency's value over time, commodities such as gold have historically witnessed a rise in value amidst inflation periods. This helps investors maintain financial stability at all times.
  • Diversification of Investment Portfolio: Since gold prices often move in the opposite direction of stock and bond values, it is an excellent investment for portfolio diversification.
  • Stability During Economic Downturns: In the words of Collin Plume, CEO of Noble Gold Investments: "On average, we go through a financial crisis every 5.5 years. In each of those crashes, gold goes up either during or directly after the crash. No other asset has done that." This makes gold an ideal asset for financial stability, especially during economic uncertainty.

Options for Investing in Gold

To make the most of gold’s benefits, it’s important to understand the different gold investment options and opt for one that best meets your preferences. Some such options include:

Physical Gold

Purchasing gold bars and coins from a bank or reputable dealer is one of the simplest methods to obtain gold as an investment. Some reports show that small bars and coins accounted for over two-thirds of yearly gold investment demand and around one-quarter of worldwide gold demand over the last decade.

Gold Stocks in Mining Companies

Stock purchases in gold mining companies allow you to earn from gold through the company's profits. But, it’s important to remember that the stock's growth and return depend on the company's predicted future earnings, not merely the value of gold.

Physically Backed Gold ETFs

A physically-backed gold ETF, or Exchange-Traded Fund, allows you to invest in several types and sizes of gold bullion in a single ETF. This includes gold bars, coins, and so on. This allows you to invest in various gold assets under a single physically-backed gold ETF.

Gold IRAs

A Gold IRA is an individual retirement account (IRA) in which you can keep physical gold and other precious metals. It is a popular retirement investment choice with numerous tax advantages. But it’s important to remember that only IRS-approved gold qualifies for precious metals IRA investments.

Key Factors to Consider Before Investing in Gold

Other than the different gold investment options, it’s also important to consider the following factors to make an ideal investment decision:

  • Assessing Risk Tolerance and Investment Goals: While gold is typically considered low-risk compared to other types of investments, gold prices can be highly unpredictable in the short term. Hence, it is important to determine your risk tolerance and investment objectives before proceeding with a gold investment.
  • Understanding Market Trends and Gold Prices: The gold market is constantly undergoing an unprecedented transformation due to changing gold demand patterns, innovation, regulatory changes, and newer products. Hence, it’s important to know market trends and price fluctuations before investing in any gold asset.
  • Storage and Insurance for Physical Gold: Last but not least, physical gold necessitates secure storage. So, even though you can keep your gold at home, it’s always better to keep it in a secure vault or with a reliable custodian. Furthermore, insuring your gold assets is also critical for achieving peace of mind that the value of your assets will be compensated in case of any issue or unforeseen event.

Steps to Start Investing in Gold

Not sure how to invest in gold the right way? Consider the following steps:

  • Research and Choose Wisely: Start by researching the different gold investing options. This will help you better evaluate your investment objectives and risk tolerance.
  • Find Reputable Dealers and Brokers: Upon choosing your preferred investment option, look for reliable dealers and brokers through customer feedback shared on authentic sites like TrustPilot, Better Business Bureau (BBB), Business Consumer Alliance (BCA), Consumer Affairs, etc.
  • Additional Tips: When purchasing gold, don't forget to compare asset and storage prices from several brokers and storage service providers.

Common Mistakes to Avoid for New Gold Investors

Besides the key considerations, it’s also important for beginners to avoid certain investment mistakes, including:

  • Avoid Overexposure to Gold: Even though gold promises various benefits, it’s important to ensure you don’t spend too much of your finances on the asset. On average, it is always suggested to invest around 5% to 10% of your investment funds in gold.
  • Consider Additional Gold Investment Costs: While purchasing and storing actual gold bullion or coins may appear inexpensive at first glance, don't forget to consider the additional costs, like insurance and storage fees, when planning your gold investment budget.
  • Avoiding Scams: Gold investment scams are deceptive schemes that offer great returns on gold investments, which either don't exist or have extremely low returns.  To avoid these scams, do your homework and request official evidence to avoid investing with scam companies that offer deals that are too good to be true.

Conclusion

Gold is an unquestionably valuable addition to any investing portfolio. However, it is always critical to determine which sort of investment best meets your objectives while considering essential investment concerns.

Ultimately, if you're just starting in the gold investment industry, it is always better to start small and learn as you grow in the investment journey. To get started, have a look at this article on the best precious metal companies, where you can start investing in gold.

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